James Kelton Floyd, 83, died Thursday, Aug. 10, 2017.
Funeral services will be held 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017, at Olanta Baptist Church, with burial following in the church cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017, at Floyd Funeral Home, and other times at the home, 316 Magnolia Ave. in Olanta.
Born in Olanta, he was a son of the late J. Kelly Floyd and Colene Ham Floyd.
Kelton graduated from Olanta High School as a member of the Class of 1952, where he played high school baseball and American Legion baseball with both teams winning state championships. He graduated from Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science Class of 1955, where he received his embalmer and funeral director’s license.
He then married the love of his life, Jimlyn Calder “Jeekie” Floyd, on Oct. 2, 1955; afterward, they moved to Beaufort where he entered the U.S. Navy and served as a medical corpsman at Parris Island. After leaving the military, he helped his father operate their businesses, which were Floyd Drug Store, Floyd Ambulance Service, the family farm, and until his illness, was president of Floyd Funeral Home Inc.
He served as mayor of the town of Olanta for 22 years, was a member of the Florence County Transportation Board, a charter member of the Olanta Business Association, Olanta Lions Club, a member of the American Legion Post No. 85, a mason and member of Beulah Lodge No. 259, member of Olanta Baptist Church, where he served as a former Deacon, trustee, the Men’s Brotherhood, and Men’s Bible Class. In 2002, he was presented with the Order of the Silver Crescent by then Gov. Jim Hodges. In his later years, he enjoyed the friendship of his beloved men’s group, “The Men’s Supper Club.”
He was preceded in death by his wife; a sister, Ozeda F. Clelland, and brother-in-law, Alec; a sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Annette C. Godwin and Charles; a brother-in-law, Waddell Hancock; and his mother-in-law, Grace Jordan Calder.
Survivors include a daughter, Lisa L. Floyd of Florence; two sons, Kerry (Georgia) Floyd of Florence and Kell Floyd of Olanta; three grandchildren, Kim Floyd McKenzie of Olanta, Jennifer (Marcus) Lee of Florence and Jordan (Kirsten) Floyd of Greenville; two great-grandchildren, Gabby and Leah McKenzie, both of Olanta; a sister, Lazelle Floyd Hancock of Olanta; a special friend, Barney Lee B. Morris of Turbeville; and his canine companion, Kelly.
Memorials may be made to the J. Kelton Floyd Mini Park Revitalization, P.O. Box 396, Olanta, SC 29114. This park was dedicated to him by the town for his years of service as mayor.
Please visit www.floydfuneralhome.com for online condolences.